CO2 bell strikers were used mostly at remote, unattended locations or on buoys in protected waters where wave action was too little for a conventional bell striker. There were 2 models used, the CSEP-50 and the CSEP-250. In 1939 the designations were changed to CE-50 and CE-250. The model 50 was the smaller of the two and it would strike a bell about 2,500 times per pound of CO2 used. Essentially, the striker was a piston with a gas inlet at it's rear. When the incoming gas reached a designated pressure it would "fire" the piston into the bell and then retract it back into the striker body until it reloaded itself with CO2 and fired again. Most, if not all, of the ones in the U. S. were made by AGA. I have more data, if needed.

Dave - Thanks so much for sending me the information on the CO2 bell striker. The mechanism is exactly as Jim described it. I am in the porocess of redrawing the mechanism, and will be using the information in a project I am working in. I will credit you for the info.